Score registering device



H. E. WILLIAMS SCORE REGISTERING DEVICE Sept, 8, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 3, 19.51

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SCORE REGISTERING DEVICE Filed Feb. 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in score registering devices especially adapted for registering a score accomplished as a result of the playing of a coin-controlled amusement device, such as is illustrated in my Patent No. 2,459,011.

In this aspect of my invention it has as an object the provision of a plurality of individually and simultaneously rotatable score wheels and an arrangement for releasably restraining all but one of said wheels against rotation during score registering operation and also an arrangement for releasing all of such wheels for simultaneous rotation to zero position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a score cabinet with which my invention is associated;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the invention as viewed from the right of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a back side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the preferred form of construction there illustrated includes end plates I having laterally extending lugs II perforated as at I2 for the passage therethrough of attachment screws (not shown) for attaching the score registering de vice to the rear of a panel I3 of a score cabinet I4. The plates I0 are disposed in confronting spaced parallel relation with respect to each other by means of parallel plates I connected as at I6 to the side plates ID at the rear thereof. Cooperating with these plates I 5 are also several rods I! connected as at I8 to the side plates I3.

Journaled through the plates I0 and extending therebetween are spaced parallel shafts I9 and 32. One end of the shaft I9 is connected by means of a suitable coupling 23 to an electric motor 2I of any approved construction. On the opposite end of the shaft I9 is mounted a cam disc 22.

On the shaft I9 there are mounted in confronting spaced relation with respect to each other, score wheels 23.

Each of these wheels 23 is formed substantially cup-shaped to provide a wall 24 and a relatively Wide cylindrical wall 25. On this wall 25 is mounted in any suitable manner a strip 26 having printed thereon numerals 2'I. Formed as an integral part of the wall 24 of the wheel is a hub 28' in which the shaft I9 is journaled. At predetermined points on the shaft I9 are arranged collars 28 fixed for rotation with the shaft I9 by means of set screws 23.

Arranged between each of these collars 28 and a washer 30 bearing against an adjacent hub 28' is an expansion spring 3 I. Arranged between the wall 24 and the adjacent collar 28 is a washer 30. The arrangement is such that when the score wheels 23 are held against rotation, the shaft I9 is free to rotate relative to the wheels 23. However, when the score wheels 23 are re leased for rotation, the frictional contact between these wheels and the collars 28 produced by the springs 3!, will result in the wheels 23 rotating with the shaft I9.

The shaft 32 has mounted thereon score wheels 33 similar in construction to the score wheels 23 and arranged for frictional connection with the shaft 32 in the same manner as is employed for providing a frictional drive between the shaft I9 and the wheels 23.

The wall 24 of each of the wheels 23 in its peripheral edge portion is provided with a plurality of equally spaced apart notches 34. One side wall 35 of each of the notches 34 provides a camming surface while the opposite wall 36 provides an abrupt stop shoulder. Normally engaging in one notch of each wheel is at latch finger 33 which, by engagement with the shoulder 36, restrains the rotation of the wheel with the shaft on which it is mounted, in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 5.

The latch finger 38 is formed as an integral part of an armature 39 pivotally supported by a bracket 40. This bracket 40 supports an electromagnetic coil 4! which is adapted when energized to attract the armature 39 to pivot the same to dispose the latch finger 38 from engagement with the shoulder 36.

This coil 4| is mounted on a plate 42 in turn fixed to an adjacent one of the plates I5. The armature 33 is normally pivoted away from the coil by a spring 43.

The coils 4! (there being one for each wheel) are arranged in a scoring circuit of any approved construction wherein there is means for energizing the coils 4] upon the attainment of a certain score.

As long as the fingers 38 engage the shoulders from the adjacent shoulder 36, the wheels will be restrained from rotation. with the shafts l9 and 32.

The shafts iii and 32 are connected together for simultaneous rotation by means of a sprocket chain it having engagement with sprocket wheels 35 connected to the shafts i9 and 32.

Means is provided for simultaneously releasing the score wheels for simultaneous rotation to zero position. This isaccomplished by providing a shaft it having its end portions journaled in the end plates it and extending therebetween, there being one shaft for each row of score wheels. Fixed to the shaft adjacent each of the scoring wheels, is a collar i'i. Formed as an integral part of this collar ii and extending radially therefrom is a trip arm 53 which, when the shaft lfi is rocked in a manner hereinafter set forth, will engage the adjacent armature 39 and pivot the same in a direction to dispose the latch finger 38 from engagement with the adjacent shoulder 35. Also formed as an integral part of thecollar ll and extending radially therefrom is a stop finger which is provided with a horizontally extending flange adapted to "move into the path of movement of a pin 5i carried by the wheel 23, when the shaft dc is rocked as-a-foresaid, whereby to limit the return of the score wheel to Zero position.

The cam disc 22 has frictional connection with the shaft i 9 in the same manneras the wheels Such cam disc is restrained from rotation with the shaft it by meansof a pin 52 carried by the disc 22 and adapted toengage an arm 53. This arm 53 is formed as an integral part of a lever fixedly connected to one of the shaft The lever is pivotally connected at tit to aplunger iii of an electromagnetic coil 58. The plunger 57 is projected with respect to the coil Eli by a spring 59.

A lever 541 is fixedlyeonnected to the other of the shafts The outer end portion ,of this lever 54 is connected by a linkti! to the lever 5 whereby upon energization of the coil 58 the levers ii-l and 5:3 will pivot together.

The cam disc 22 is provided with a notch iii into which engages an angledendportionfiZ of a switch leaf 53 of a switch 6d. The contact :of the switch leaf it is normally spaced from the .contact of its complementary switch'leaf E5. When the angled end portion-t2 rides'on the'periphery of the cam disc 22, the-switch leaf liil will'be in contact with the leaf 65 thereby to establish a circuit between the coil 58 and a power source 66. Such an arrangement maintains energization of the coil 53 after it is initially energized by the closing of a reset push button type switch iii.

The cam disc 22 rotates'in the direction of the arrow as shown in Fig. 3.

When the score register is mounted in the cabinet i l the wheels 23 will bedisposedto the rear of sight openings 63' toexpose'the numbers on the wheels through these openings.

During the operation of the motor 2i, and as long as the wheels 23 and 63 as well as the cam disc 22 are restrained from rotation, only the shafts it and 32 will be rotated. However, whenever one of the latch fingers 33 is disengaged the frictional connection between the score Wheel and its respective shaft will cause the wheel to rotate with the shaft to advance the score number of the Wheel to the nexthighest score numbenit being intended that the coil ii 'be only momentarily energized so as to accomplish the above results.

To reset the score wheels to zero or starting position the coil 58 is initially energized by the reset button till, after which further energization of the coil 58 is maintained through the switch ti l. Upon energization of the coil 58, both shafts ii; are rocked in a direction to bear the arms 1-8 against adjacent armatures 39 to disengage the latch fingers 38 from the shoulders 3'0. The rocking of these shafts 66 disposes the stop fin gers 4c in the path of movement of the pins 5i whereby when the pin 51 engages the stop finger as the wheels 23 and 33 will be disposed in zero or starting position, with the zero exposed 'through the sight openings 68.

My present invention was especially designed to register through the medium of the wheels 23 and runs attained in an amusement game apparatus simulating a baseball game. Such game is intended to be played by competitive players. The registering device herein disclosed maybe "used for other purposes. The simplicity of construction of my invention affords economical manufacture.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred-form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the-invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to theprecise-de'tails of construction set forth, but desireto avail myself of such variations'and' modificationsascome within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patcut is:

l. A device of the class -=described comprising a motor, a shaftrotatedby-the motor, a plurality of collars fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith 'and in spaced longitudinal relation with respect to each other, wheels each having numeral-bearing drums arranged on the shaft between the collars, springs embracing the shaft and arranged between the collar and the wheels providing frictional driving connection between the wheels and the shaft, means for releasably holding the wheels individually against rotation with the shaft, said last-named means including a plurality of notches on one side wall of said wheels and individual holding shoulders, said notches being adapted "to be engaged by said holding shoulders, means-for releasing individually said holding means, andmeans for simultaneously releasing all of said holdingmeans to permit simultaneous rotation of the wheels with the shaft.

2. A device of the .class described comprising a motor, a shaft rotated by the motor, a plurality of .collars fixed to the vshaft for rotation therewith and .in spaced longitudinal relation with respect .to each other, wheelseach having numeral-bearing drums arrangedon the shaft between thecolla-rs,springs-embracing the shaft and arranged between -:the;collarand the wheels :providing frictional driving connection between the wheels and itheshaft, means for releasably holding thewheels individually against rotation with the shaft, electromagnetic means for simultaneously releasing all of said individual holding means to permit simultaneous rotation of said wheels with said shaft, and a second electro magnetic means 'for releasing individually said holding means, said last-named means including a trip'arm carried on a second shaft below and adjacent said wheels and adapted to-engage and release said holding means when said second electromagnetic means is energized.

3. A device of the class described comprising a motor, a shaft rotated by the motor, a plurality of collars fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith and in spaced longitudinal relation with respect to each other, wheels each having numeral-bearing drums arranged on the shaft between the collars, springs embracing the shaft and arranged between the collar and the wheels providing frictional driving connection between the wheels and the shaft, means for releasably holding the wheels individually against rotation with the shaft, said last named means including a plurality of notches on one side wall of said wheels and individual holding shoulders, said notches being adapted to be engaged by said holding shoulders, means for releasing individually said holding means, electromagnetic means for simultaneously releasing all of said holding means to permit simultaneous rotation of the wheel with the shaft, said last named means including a trip arm carried on a second shaft below and adjacent said wheels and adapted to engage and release said holding means when said electromagnetic means is energized.

4. A device of the class described comprising a motor, a shaft rotated by the motor, a plurality of collars fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith and in spaced longitudinal relation with respect to each other, wheels each having numeral-bearing drums arranged on the shaft between the collars, springs embracing the shaft and arranged between the collar and the wheels providing frictional driving connection between the wheels and the shaft, means for releasably holding the wheels individually against rotation with the shaft, said last named means including a plurality of notches on one side wall of said Wheels and individual holding shoulders, said notches being adapted to be engaged by said holding shoulders, means for releasing individually said holding means, electromagnetic means for simultaneously releasing all of said holding means to permit simultaneous rotation of the wheels with the shaft, an electric circuit for said electromagnetic means, a switch in said circuit, a cam disc having frictional driving connection with said shaft for actuating said switch, and means for releasably restraining rotation of the disc with the shaft.

HARRY E. WILLIAMS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,447,872 Lake Mar. 6, 1923 2,543,531 Lang Feb. 27, 1951 2,544,610 Nelson Mar. 6, 1951 

